Table trimming



Feb. 13, 1958 M. ANTERT-MERZ 3,368,601

TABLE TRIMMING Filed Aug. 12, 1966 MARGARET GQNTEJET-ME'QZI BY Lww ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,368,601 TABLE TRIMMING Margaret Gantert-Merz, 2532 Magglingen, Switzerland Filed Aug. 12, 1966, Ser. No. 572,085 6 Claims. (Cl. 15052) Tables in households, hotels, inns and restaurants are covered by tablecloths. Clamps engaging the tabletop edges are slipped on over the cloth for retaining same. As found in practice, tablecloths wear prematurely at their marginal contact areas, which is found to be quite a disadvantage from the part of the hotel proprietors and innkeepers on account of the cost increase entailed thereby due to the limited life of the cloths. Tablecloths usually are soiled only in the range of the tablet-ops, but not on the borders depending therefrom. The cloth borders are integral and continuous with the tablecloths and thus cannot be exchanged or used by themselves, as is often desirable for changing the interior decoration.

The present invention relates to a tabletop trimming by which said disadvantages shall be eliminated. According to the invention, said trimming is distinguished by the provision of a frame-forming holder that comprises a vertical leg engaging the tabletop and a horizontal leg circumferentially contacting the tabletop. Said legs are formed by semi-stiff bands that are elastic in tension and disposed at an angle with respect to each other. Said legs are hin edly connected to each other, and a fiounce may be detachably disposed on the vertical leg. The whole is 50- arranged that the holder stretched on the tabletop may act as marginal ornamentation, as carrier of the fiounce and as locking or clamping element for an additional commodity independent of said carrier.

Two forms of my present invention are shown by way of example in the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first form of the table trimming applied to a rectangular table,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second form of the table trimming applied to a round table,

FIG. 3 shows a cross-section through the trimming mounted on the tabletop edge,

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the trimming before being mounted on the tabletop edge, and

FIG. 5 shows a cross-section through the enclosing band and the trimming shown separated therefrom.

The table trimming shown comprises a frame-like holder 1 of angular cross-section. The holder 1 comprises two strips 1', 1" (FIGS. 4 and 5) that are elastic in tension and hingedly interconnected by a zigzag seam 2 on their longitudinal edges facing each other. The strip 1' forms a vertical leg that contacts the circumferential side of the table T and is pressed against same owing to the elastic tension. The strip 1" is a horizontal leg of the holder 1 which bears on the table in the range of the circumference thereof. In the case of rectangular tabletops, the holder 1 has, as seen from above, four corners 3 in which are engaged the table corners.

On the outside of the leg 1' is disposed a first border ribbon 4 to which are secured at uniform intervals pushbutton members 5' of a push-button connection 5. On a second border ribbon 6 to be joined to the first, are located on the inside the other push-button members 5". To the outside of the second border ribbon 6 is secured, as by sewing, a downwardly depending fiounce 7 which may be composed of an interior part 7' serving as support, and a transparent or translucent exterior part 7", so that the fiounce also may be used on both sides. The exterior part 7" suitably is colored in contrast to the interior part 7', or consists of an embroidery product having corresponding perforations, or consists of some other decoration or ornament.

The holder 1, border ribbon -6 and the upper part of fiounce 7 may be covered by a striplike lining 8 secured to the inside of the holder strip 1", as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5. The lining 8 is omitted if the holder legs 1', 1" are decorated or ornamented themselves. Such bands or strips made of elastic fabric are known in trade as Helanca Elastic Laces. Particularly suited for fiounce 7 are transparent or translucent cloths such as voile, georgette and the like. The fiounce shall be noncrushable and water repellent, as far as possible, which is attainable by the use of plastic.

The holder 1 is smaller than the circumference of the table on which it is intended to be mounted. Under the action of the elastic tension derived from the material of the holder, the latter is clamped to the table-top on the circumferential face thereof. When a tablecloth 9 is stretched or spanned across the table-top, as shown by the dash-and-dot lines in FIG. 3, such cloth also is clampedly engaged by the holder and thus held fast to the tabletop. The holder is more massive than the tablecloth and thus acts additionally for the latter as edge protection, which is of great importance especially in the case of costly tablecloths.

The legs 1', 1" of holder 1 are elastic in tension in the longitudinal direction only, not in the direction of height or in the transverse direction, and they possess a certain stability or stiffness. The degree of stability, however, has to allow a certain deformation of the legs 1', 1" so that they may fit the contours of the circumferential side or face of the tabletop. The leg 1 shall be of such height in the case of rounded circumferential sides of the tabletop, that it slightly overlaps the table-top in a downward sense in order to prevent any undesirable sliding-off in an upward sense.

The holder or respectively the tape-like legs 1, 1" may be made only partially elastic in tension, instead of being made entirely of elastic fabric band. In the place of pushbuttons may be used, of course, other detachable securing means for flounces or furbelows.

In the case of garden tables, laid-on tablecloths are held fast in wind gusts by the holder.

In the case of small round tables, the horizontal leg 1" of holder 1 has to be provided with triangular cutouts on the inner free circumferential edge, as indicated in FIG. 2. In such case, the lining 8 is necessary for covering the cut-outs 10. The table-top trimming described not only improves the decorative effect of tables, but through the exchange of the fiounce permits the change and thereby the adaptation to certain occasions, as is often desired particularly in hotels, restaurants and inns.

The tablecloth edge-portions also are protected by the holder, so that the life thereof will be extended.

When the tablecloth is soiled, the fiounce or rfurbelow and the holder do not have to be cleansed, which feature contributes to a substantial reduction of the washing costs.

The tabletop trimming described, with or without fiounce or furbelow, thanks to its decorative effect will give an inviting appearance and a festive atmosphere to a table and thereby to a dining-hall or the like with many such tables.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to a now preferred example and embodiment of the invention it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and it is intended, therefore, to cover all such changes and modifications in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A table trimming comprising a frame-forming holder that includes a vertical leg enclosing the table-top and a horizontal leg lying on the circumferential side of the table-top, said two legs being formed by semistiflf bands that are elastic in tension, stand at an angle to each other and are hingedly interconnected at the apex of the angle, and a flounce detachably secured to the vertical leg.

2. A table trimming as set forth in claim 1, in which the two holder legs are hingedly interconnected by a seam and stand at right angles to each other.

3. A table trimming as set forth in claim 2 in which a border ribbon is provided on the outside of the vertical holder leg, and a further border ribbon is provided on the inside of the fiounce, said two ribbons being connectable by push-buttons.

1 4. A table trimming as set forth in claim 1 1n 'WhlCh O the flounce is detachably connected to the vertical holder leg by means of a push-button connection.

5. A table trimming as set forth in claim 1 in which the flounce is made in two parts and usable on both sides, the exterior part being colored in contrast to the interior part.

6. A table trimming as set forth in claim 1 in which the outsides of the holder legs and the fiounce upper portion are covered by a decorative lining.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,856,799 5/1932 Waters ISO-52 2,494,874- 1/1950 McD. Hess 10828 XR DONALD F. NORTON, Primary Examiner. 

1. A TABLE TRIMMING COMPRISING A FRAME-FORMING HOLDER THAT INCLUDES A VERTICAL LEG ENCLOSING THE TABLE-TOP AND A HORIZONTAL LEG LYING ON THE CIRCUMFERENTIAL SIDE OF THE TABLE-TOP, SAID TWO LEGS BEING FORMED BY SEMISTIFF BANDS THAT ARE ELASTIC IN TENSION, STAND AT AN ANGLE TO EACH OTHER AND ARE HINGEDLY INTERCONNECTED AT THE APEX OF THE ANGLE, AND A FLOUNCE DETACHABLY SECURED TO THE VERTICAL LEG. 